The Social Archeology Channel

For anyone with a little spare time in the afternoon hours of the 70s, Match Game was there to fill the void. Thanks to a wonderful cast of zany celebrity guests and an underlying bawdiness that flew over the heads of most kids watching, there was never a shortage of laughs on this endearing game show. Continue reading...

Once upon a time, Jolly Rancher was a Colorado confectionery company that supplied the locals with fine, hand-dipped chocolates and “rancher-maid” ice cream. As fate would have it, they are barely remembered for those treats. Instead, sales of their flavorful hard candy sticks would far surpass their other wares, and their wildest dreams. Decades later, Jolly Rancher is a household name and a beloved candy for many a former kid. Continue reading...

Sometimes you’re just not in the mood for a soda. Doesn’t a chilled serving of chocolate milk sound refreshing? Problem is, chocolate milk isn’t something you can just cart around with you unless you have a way to keep it cold, lest it become sour. And there are few beverages as unappetizing as sour milk. Luckily, there exists a way to keep a supply of chocolate milk with you for any occasion, without having to worry about its freshness. Thy name is Yoo-Hoo. Continue reading...

When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, explorer George Mallory famously replied "Because it is there." It's a sentiment understood by practically every kid who ever stared up at a tall tree, determined to perch among its lofty branches and view the world below. In fact, it's quite possible (though we can't prove it) that a childhood tree first inspired Mr. Mallory's lifelong interest in climbing. It seems a reasonable assessment considering this shared fascination we seem to biologically retain towards relaxing atop our forest friends. Continue reading...

Imagine if you can, the thrills of the circus with tigers and trapeze and clowns. Now imagine that instead of seasoned veterans, the performers are your favorite celebrities, each with little circus training but plenty of show biz chutzpah. And there you have Circus of the Stars – an evening of ringside spectacles and (not so) death-defying stunts. All you need is the cotton candy. Continue reading...

If you paid a visit to any sort of waiting room as a kid (say, the doctor or dentist's office), you are probably familiar with a beloved little publication called Highlights for Children. Filled to the brim with all sorts of kid-friendy information and activities, Highlights entertained and challenged us to think, all while serving as a wonderful distraction for whatever terrors lie beyond the waiting room. Continue reading...

With the overwhelming success of The Archies on Saturday mornings, Filmation decided to offer a similar show with monstrous results. The Groovie Goolies, an animated collection of decidedly hipper versions of the famous movie monsters of yesteryear were paired with some new friends. Featured alongside Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies debuted in 1970 and a year later, finally got their own show, The Groovie Goolies. Continue reading...

At the end of the day, when playing is over and done with, you put your toys away and then what? You have nothing to show for it, no lasting reminder of a day’s hard work. Manufacturing something while still managing to have fun would well and truly validate your childhood. And if that something was edible, the venture would be win-win. Sno-Cone Machines debuted in 1967 and combined the best attributes of toydom. Brightly colored, shaped like a snowman, noisy, soggy and syrupy, Hasbro’s first sno-cone factory was a guaranteed hit. Continue reading...